Troy Shantz Neglected and rusting in the garage, old bicycles usually end up on the scrap heap. But one Sarnia machinist sees value in restoring the two-wheeled treasures and is breathing new life into them for himself and others.
Troy Shantz
Neglected and rusting in the garage, old bicycles usually end up on the scrap heap.
But one Sarnia machinist sees value in restoring the two-wheeled treasures and is breathing new life into them for himself and others.
“I was just really into bikes to begin with,” says Eric Rodey, an avid biker who cycles to his job at a machine shop across town each day.
It all began when an acquaintance gave him a 1960s Raleigh that was headed to the dump.
Intrigued, Rodey began to disassemble it to see how it all fit together. He replaced the tubes, tires and chain and soon had it restored to its former glory.
“I pretty much became hooked,” he said.
Rodey started seeking out old bikes online and sourcing them from a junk removal business, often for as little as $10 a bike. His collection of mostly vintage bikes now tops 20.
Naturally, he began receiving requests to restore other people’s bike, including referrals from the Bicycle Shop on Front Street.
“Scott (owner of the Bicycle Shop) started calling me to outsource work,” said Rodey, noting he’s done four or five jobs for the shop this year.
“He’d give me a couple of months and I’d work on it at my own pace.”
Rodey recently restored a Dutch bicycle from the 1930s for a man who was 89-years-old. The man’s family, who live in Sarnia, commissioned the job as a gift for the owner.
“The only thing original on that bike were the rims, the frame and the cranks,” said Rodey. “Everything else we had to replace.”
After completing most of the work in his home-based shop Rodey presented the bicycle to the family three months later. They were thrilled with the results.
“They flew him home to surprise him with the bike,” he said.
Rodey is earning a reputation as a go-to guy for vintage bicycle restoration. Asked if it’s a potential new career, he said he wasn’t sure yet.
“Since it’s not a full-time job I don’t want to take on too much, but I would do it as a full-time job if I had to, because I really enjoy it.”
For now, he’s continuing to find and restore bikes for himself and customers, ensuring he still has time for his number one passion – riding.
“To be honest, it’s the only time that I find I have time to think about real things in life, things that actually mean something to you.”
